Maple Street School starts year with new principal

New Maple Street School Principal Melissa Trantolo sits in her new office and prepares for the coming school year. Photo by Steve Smith.

New Maple Street School Principal Melissa Trantolo sits in her new office and prepares for the coming school year. Photo by Steve Smith.

Steve Smith, Staff WriterReminder News

Melissa Trantolo is ready to start the school year as Maple Street School's new principal. Trantolo was able to transition beginning last May, and is eagerly getting ready for the first day of the new school year..

Trantolo grew up in Ellington and currently lives in Vernon. She began her teaching career in Atlanta, Georgia, and was most recently in Hartford for 11 years, where she taught grades 5 and 6, became the curriculum specialist and became assistant principal at J.C. Clark Elementary-Middle School.

She said that when she had first gotten her administrative certification, she and her husband had moved to Vernon and one day drove past Maple Street School. "I said, 'One day I want to be the principal of that school,'" she said, adding that it had certain similarities to Clark, in that it is a neighborhood school with a Community School program.

She said that while she was happy at the school in Hartford, but jumped at the chance to come to Maple Street when she heard of the job opening. "I kind of feel like it was meant to be," she said, adding that she had also chosen Maple Street for her case study during her administration certification.

Trantolo is fully aware of the need for stability at the school that will have its fourth principal in the past two years.

"Being a resident in the town, I'm totally committed and devoted to seeing this school succeed," she said. "I want to see that for the kids here. They deserve to have consistency and the best education that they can. I come in with a strong vision of where I want to see this school go, and I want to make sure I communicate that vision to the parents, to the staff, and to the community."

That vision includes high expectations for student behavior, which utilizes something called the Postitive Behaviors Interventions and Supports (PBIS) matrix, which plots out four expectations, and defines them for the classroom, field trips, assemblies, etc., and teaches those behaviors to the students.

"Students who exhibit those behaviors will constantly get reinforcement," she said. "We will have monthly assemblies for students to be recognized. Kids are kids – they just have to be taught the proper behaviors and they will rise to the occasion. We're here to help them learn, help them grow."

There will also be high expectations for academic acheivement. The focus will be looking closely at student tasks and assignments, and how well they align with the Common Core standards.

"It's also about how cognitive-rigorous they are," Trantolo said. "Are we sure that the students are receiving high-level, rigorous work."

Students will also receive specific, timely feedback, so they know how to improve their work.

Trantolo said she has had entry interviews with most of the teachers, and is including their input on the school's direction and what expectations are of her. She has also met with many of the students last spring, and during some summer events, including National Night Out.

While there will also be more focus on reaching out and getting more parent engagement, Trantolo said the school community has welcomed her so far.

"It's been very positive," she said. "I met with the PTO, and there's a very dedicated core group of parents here. They've been very open and eager to have me.They are willing to communicate and to work together."

That camaraderie, she said, is imporant.

"In order to move the school forward, we all have to be on the same team and we all have to be working together for that same goal," she said.